Table-tennis bat



Aug. 18, I942. J. L. SEWELL TABLETENNIS BAT Filed Feb. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR JIvmss L55 WELL.

18, 1942- V J. L. SEWELL 2,293,312

TABLE-TENNIS BAT Filed Feb. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a INVENTOR: 9 JAMEs .5E ELL.

Patented Aug. 18, 1942 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,293,312. TABLE-TENNIS BAT James L. Sewell, Akron, Ohio Application February 16, 1940, Serial No. 319,270

2 Claims.

This invention relates to bats or paddles used in playing table-tennis, Ping-pong or like games.

Heretofore, table-tennis bats or paddles usually have comprised a thin ball-striking bladehaving a handle attached thereto, with a facing of nonskid sheet material, such as rubber, adhered on both sides of the blade, the edges of the facing material being exposed. The exposed edge portions of the facings were objectionable because they deflected the ball when struck thereby, and continued contact of the balls against the edges caused the facings to peel away from the blade, or the edges became worn and interfered with accurate use of the bat. Other objectionable features found in prior art bats are corrected in the present improved construction.

An object of this invention is to provide a bat of the class described having thereon non-skid facings, the edge portions of which will not materially deflect the playing balls in use of the bat, and in which said facings will not peel away from the bat upon continued striking of the balls adjacent the edges of the facings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bat of the class described which is of durable,

non-warping construction, and which readily adapts itself to provision of desired balance without necessarily affecting any given size or shape of the bat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bat of the class described in which the balance is readily adjustable from or toward the central portion of the ball-striking blade, according to requirements of an individual user of the bat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bat of the class described having the handle thereof integral with the ball-striking blade, and having improved thumb or finger grips in the handle adjacent the blade without weakening the connection between the handle and the blade.

Still another object of the invention is to provide comfortable and eifective non-skid gripping portions in the handles of bats of the class described.

These and other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a table-tennis bat embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on line 33 of Figural.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure l, partly broken away, of a modified form of the invention. Figure 5 is a cross-section taken on line 55 of Figure 4.,

Figure 6 is a cross section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the numeral l0 designates the ball-striking blade of a table-tennis bat, which may have an integral handle ll of sufliciently greater thickness than the blade to provide the desired hand grip. For the purposes of this invention, the bat is preferably formed or molded from a transparent or transluscent, moisture-proof, plastic material, such as the material known as Tennite. The use of other materials capable of accomplishing the same results is contemplated, however.

Extending around the blade. H] and integral therewith, may be an outwardly rounded bead 12, of greater thickness than the blade to define shallow recesses l3, l3 on both sides of the blade. Adhered to the blades within recesses l3 may be facings I4 of rubber, or similar material, having non-skid designs or buttons M M thereon, the ball-striking surfaces of the facings being substantially flush with opposite edges of the bead l2. With this construction, a ball striking near the edge portions of the bat will neither wear away the edges of the facings l4, nor strip the same from the blade. There being no exposed edges on the facings, the playing-ball will not be deflected thereby when the ball strikes close to the edge of the bat.

The handle ll may be concavely recessed at I5, IS, on opposite sides adjacent the inner end thereof, to provide gripping portions for the fingers, particularly the thumb. Thus, the central portions of the handle curve inwardly toward edges of recesses [3, while the outer portions smoothly merge into the bead [2 at opposite edges of the blade-to provide ribs It, It for reinforcing the connection between the handle and the blade. Opposite sides of the handle are etched or roughened at I! to provide a nonskid grip for the hand.

Handle H may be hollowed at Hi to balance the handle of the bat with the ball-striking blade. As this balance may vary according to the kind of material used, and the requirements of different individuals, the size and depth of hollow I8 may be varied in the manufacturing process to balance the bat as desired. Also, when more or less weight is required in the handle of the bat, a plug l9, adhesively secured in the outer end of the handle, may be of increased or decreased size, respectively.

The bat shown in Figures 4 to 6 is similar to that described in connection with Figures 1 to 3, with the exception of certain modifications in the construction of the handle. For this reason like parts have been given like numerals.

On opposite sides of handle Il may be a shallow recess 20 within which is secured, by means of suitable adhesives, a sheet 2! of elastic or resilient material, such as rubber, preferably having non-skid buttons thereon, the outer surfaces of the buttons being substantially flush with the edges of recesses 2|. This provides comfortable, emcient, non-skid gripping means.

for the hand.

Handle ll may be formed with a series of openings 22, 22 therein, tapering inwardly from the end of the handle, each opening being slightly smaller than the other to provide shoulder portions, 22 22 This provides means whereby the bat may be balanced from and toward the central portion of the blade I E], or the weight of the handle may be modified, by inserting plugs 23, 23 of varying sizes according to the requirements of a particular individual. Plug I9 may also be modified in size for this purpose, this plug and plugs 23 being secured in place, as shown, by means of adhesives when the desired balance of thebat has been attained.

Thus may be provided means for carrying out the described objects of the invention. Modifications of, the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hat of the class described comprising a ball-striking blade, a hollow handle on said blade, plugs of various sizes insertable in said handle, said hollow portion of said handle being formed with a series of recesses inwardly stepped from the end of the handle for receiving said plugs at various points in the handle as desired to fix the point of balance of the bat, said various plugs having different cross-sections for fitting different sizes of said stepped recesses.

2. A bat of the class described comprising a blade having a relatively thick handle formed integral therewith, said blade having a bead extending around the edge portions thereof, said bead being of greater thickness than said blade to provide recesses in opposite sides of the blade, and facings of non-skid material secured within saidrecesses with the edges of the facings substantially flush with the edges of the recesses, saidhandle having concave finger-gripping re-' cesses on opposite sides thereof tapering inwardly toward the surfaces of said blade at the central portions thereof, the portions of the handle at the outer edges of said concave recesses merging into said bead to provide a reinforced connection between said handle and said blade where they merge together, said outer edge portions being raised respecting said recesses, providing ribs to prevent sidewise slippage of a finger gripped into either recess.

JAMES L. SEWELL. 

